UPDATE 1-F&C shareholders vote in favour of BMO takeover

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LONDON, March 25 (Reuters) - F&C Asset Management's
shareholders have voted in favour of a 708 million pound ($1.17
billion) takeover by Canadian lender Bank of Montreal,
ending talk of a potential rival bid.

Votes representing 99.6 percent of F&C's shares supported
the deal, the fund manager said in a statement on Tuesday,
adding that trading in F&C shares will be suspended after the
market close on May 6.

Bank of Montreal's offer, first announced in January,
already had the blessing of F&C's largest shareholder, British
insurer Aviva, which owns about 12 percent of the
company.

F&C's second-largest investor, Standard Life,
initially gave a cool response to the offer, amounting to 120
pence per share in cash and a 2 pence dividend, hoping for a
better bid to emerge.

U.S. hedge fund Elliott Management Corp acquired derivatives
equivalent to a stake of more than 10 percent, fuelling
speculation over a potential bidding war.

However, a rival bid looked less likely after insurer
Resolution announced that it was transferring management
of 14.5 billion pounds away from F&C, moving most of the money
to Schroders.
($1 = 0.6065 British Pounds)
(Reporting by Chris Vellacott; Editing by Simon Jessop and
David Goodman)